Sunday 30 April 2017

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 takes daddy issues to a whole other level

What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than at the cinema with great friends and copious amounts of popcorn??
Today's flick of choice was Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2. 
 
I loved the first one. And I am quite obsessed by Baby Groot so I was really excited to see the next installment.
And it didn't disappoint. If you want to just switch off your brain and enjoy some feel good sci fi action, then this is the film for you.
Slick and stylish are the hallmarks of Marvel films, and Guardians of the Galaxy 2 has both in spades.
It's fun, it's funny, and if I am completely honest I even got choked with emotion (don't tell anyone I said that!)
There are no great surprises, it delivers exactly what you would expect, but it truly is a great way to kill a couple of hours.
It obviously goes without saying that Baby Groot was the star of the show for me!!



And don't forget - true Marvrl fans stay to the end of the credits. Don't say I didn't tell you.

Julie xx

Hello, come in, take a seat. Would you like a cup of tea?

Well hello there. Welcome to my wee blog.
So you probably want to know a bit about me. So let's get started...
I have been a journalist in Northern Ireland for just over fourteen years (terrifying!!) 
I started life in the Ulster Star newspaper in Lisburn. This is my hometown newspaper and something of an institution and I am so proud to have worked there. 
 
Changes in our company mean that I now write for all of Johnston Press weekly papers, as well as our daily the Belfast News Letter - this is the oldest continuously published English language newspaper in the world. Did you know that? I don't think they mention it much 😉



Now I have the absolute pleasure of looking after the entertainments sections in our weekly newspapers and we recently launched a new entertainments section in the News Letter 'The Guide'. 
I am delighted to be working on it with some of the best female journalists in Northern Ireland - Laura McMullan is our wonderful editor, and Kathryn McKenna, Una Culkin, and I fill the pages. If you haven't checked it out yet, why not??!
 
Now I have been inspired by the fabulous bloggers I have met on various press outings to enter into the online world all be myself. 
Please be patient while I get started and definitely let me know if there are any events you would like me to cover.
I am a regular at the theatre, concerts, shows and launches so I will keep you up to date with what is happening out there and what you should, and shouldn't, be spending your hard earned money on.
Juls  xx    

Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime is a thing of beauty on stage

If you missed The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime when it was at the Grand Opera House in Belfast, you really missed out on what must be one of the best shows of the year. 
 It is a rare thing for an adaptation, whether it be on the stage or screen, to surpass the original book, but The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime certainly seems to be the exception that proves the rule. Being staged by the National Theatre at the Grand Opera House in Belfast, the play by Simon Stephens is based on the best-selling novel by Mark Haddon.

As a fan of the book I found it difficult to envisage how it would translate to the stage but the National Theatre have risen to the challenge and exceeded all expectations.

 

The story revolves around Christopher Boone, a 15 year old with Asperger’s Syndrome, giving a very personal insight into the inner workings of his mind as he sets out to discover who killed his neighbours dog and to track down his mother.

 The leap of taking the story from the page to the stage was an enormous undertaking but has resulted in what is undoubtedly one of the most mesmerising, original, and thought provoking pieces of theatre that has ever been created.

The use of sound, lighting, and digital projection make for an immersive experience that clearly captivated the audience from beginning to end. The humour, the fear, the emotion of the book came to life even more starkly on stage as you experience the overwhelming sensory onslaught that Christopher is subjected to every minute of every day. 

While the book takes readers on the same journey, as Christopher faces his fears to travel from Swindon to London, somehow the play makes that experience even more visceral. 

Cleverly staged in a box on stage, the set, while basic, was a stroke of genius, allowing the actors to adapt and create their own set within the cube of light. Every last detail was considered, with actors even playing roles of inanimate objects such as a door or a mat.

Throughout the production, the choreography was outstanding. In places the actors moved together like dancers, their bodies moving fluidly, creating yet another dimension to what is a fairly simple tale. 

In all honesty words cannot do justice to the beauty of this production. It is something that truly has to be seen to be believed.